Bay Astro – Events of Week of 07/31/2017 and Beyond

This Yahoo group publishes announcements of interesting events related to astronomy and aerospace in the San Francisco Bay Area. This can include events such as astronomy and interesting physical science lectures, club meetings, star parties, air shows and other events of interest mostly to amateur astronomers and science enthusiasts. Many thanks to Ken Lum, who created this event listing.
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Spin and the quantum rules for apartment rentals
Almost all elementary particles act as if they are spinning. Scientists once believed that this spin would always be 0, 1, 2… measured in the units of quantum mechanics. Yet the spin of electrons turned out to be ½. Moreover, particles with spin ½ can’t really share space with each other. This fact shapes the entire physical world.

What’s in a spin ½? Picture the locations available to electrons as apartment rentals. The rules for renting determine the structure of atoms and molecules. If electrons had spin 0, sharing would not just be allowed, but desired. All electrons would end up sharing the same apartment, with dire consequences.

Are we alone in the universe? What is our place in space? Before the moon blots out the Sun on August 21, consider cosmic questions at After Dark. Learn what it’s like to skydive from the stratosphere or land a rover on Mars. Listen to the interstellar message of Voyager’s golden record, and look through telescopes, films, and cultural history for inspiring views of our local planets and star.

Leaping from the Edge of the Stratosphere
With Alan Eustace
7:00 p.m.
Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery

In 2014, Alan Eustace leapt to Earth from the edge of the stratosphere wearing only a spacesuit, shattering skydiving records and potentially revolutionizing the commercial space industry. Discover the science behind his historic dive and learn what it’s like to jump from a height of over 135,000 feet, hurtling at speeds exceeding 821 m.p.h., to land safely on Earth below.

Are you getting excited for the “Great American Eclipse”? Join Exploratorium astronomer Isabel Hawkins to find out why eclipses happen and get a bit of history on how people have reacted to them in the past. She’ll also explain how to have the best and safest eclipse viewing experience on August 21.

To learn more about the upcoming total solar eclipse, download our free app:

In August and September 1977, NASA launched two spacecraft, Voyager 1 and 2, on a grand tour of the solar system and beyond, into the mysteries of interstellar space. Mounted to each spacecraft is a golden phonograph record, a message to introduce our civilization to extraterrestrials, perhaps billions of years from now. In honor of Voyager’s 40th anniversary, Ozma Records has released the golden record as a set of vinyl LPs so those on Earth can hear it as it was meant to be played.

Celebrate the history of Voyager’s magnificent interstellar message with Ozma Records co-founder David Pescovitz along with members of the original golden record committee, technical director Frank Drake and producer Timothy Ferris.

Launch into an overview of robotic space exploration with NASA systems engineer Bobak Ferdowsi. Find out what it’s like to land an SUV-sized rover on Mars, and how robots are changing the game for future interplanetary missions.

Our Place in Space
With Adam Savage
9:00 p.m.
East Gallery

Hear the incomparable Adam Savage share thoughts on why he is so fascinated with space and space travel, and learn about some of his space-inspired builds, from meticulously recreated NASA space suits to props from Star Wars and other science fiction films

On August 21st, we will be treated to a total and partial solar eclipse across North America. In preparation, I will talk about the history and the science of eclipses, answering questions such as “When was the earliest recorded solar eclipse?” “How do we predict when and where we can see the eclipse?” and “Why are they so rare?” I will also discuss how we can observe the solar eclipse with and without a telescope, and what makes the eclipse exciting for scientists.

Chabot’s TMW is one of only a handful of regularly scheduled telescope making workshops in the U.S., and probably the world; it meets every Friday evening throughout the year, except Memorial Day weekend. It has been in operation since December of 1930, founded by Franklin B. Wright, and is currently run by Eastbay Astronomical Society member Rich Ozer, with help from other EAS members, Dave Barosso, Barry Leska, and others. The price of admission is FREE. All you have to do is show up, buy a mirror blank and a “tool” (typically around $100 – $200 depending on the size of the mirror) and start “pushin’ glass!” We supply you with instruction, the various grits you’ll need to first grind, and then polish and figure your mirror, and all the testing equipment needed. With a small bit of luck, you could wind up with a telescope that costs 1/3 or 1/4 the cost of a store-bought telescope, that is yet optically superior! Itdoes take time – depending on how much time you put in on it, and other factors, it could take a few months or several months. But, it’s a fun project, great for kids, and at the end you get a great telescope!
For more information call or email Richard Ozer at rozer@pacbell.net or phone (510) 406-1914.

EXPLORE THE NIGHT SKIES AT THE CHABOT OBSERVATORIES
for more information: http://www.chabotspace.org/
Free Telescope Viewing
Regular hours are every Friday & Saturday evening, weather permitting: 7:30pm -10:30pm
Come for spectacular night sky viewing the best kept secret in the Bay Area and see the magnificence of our telescopes in action!

Daytime Telescope Viewing On Saturday and Sunday afternoons come view the sun, moon, or Venus through Chabot’s telescopes. Free with General Admission.

12pm – 5pm: Observatories Open (weather permitting)

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Fri. 8/4/2017 9PM

Foothill College
12345 El Monte Rd
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Foothill Observatory is open for public viewing every clear Friday evening from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Visitors can view the wonders of the universe through the observatory’s computer-controlled 16- inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.
Views of objects in our solar system may include craters and mountains on the moon, the moons and cloud-bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, etc. Deep space objects including star clusters, nebulae, and distant galaxies also provide dramatic demonstrations of the vastness of the cosmos.The choice of targets for any evening’s viewing depends on the season and what objects are currently in the sky.

Admission is free. Parking is $3

Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college requires visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the parking lots for $3.00. Dispensers accept one-dollar bills and quarters; bring exact change. Citations are issued.

Come to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of our Universe!

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Sat. 8/5/2017 10AM

Foothill College
12345 El Monte Rd
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Foothill Colllege Observatory 10AM-12PM if it is clear Solar observing with a Hydrogen alpha solar telescope every clear Saturday morning. This allows spectacular views of solar prominences and unusual surface features on the Sun not otherwise visible with regular white light telescopes.

Admission is free. Parking is $3

Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college requires visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the parking lots for $3.00. Dispensers accept one-dollar bills and quarters; bring exact change. Citations are issued.

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Saturday, 08/05/17
02:00 PM – 04:00 PM

Berkeley Main Library
2090 Kittredge Street
Berkeley, CA

Eclipse 2017: Astronomer Andrew Fraknoi Presents

In this illustrated, nontechnical talk, for ages 10 to adult, astronomer Andrew Fraknoi, will describe how eclipses work, why they are one of nature’s most spectacular sights, what scientists learn during eclipses, exactly when and where the eclipse of 2017 will be visible, and how to observe the eclipse and the Sun safely.

At the conclusion of the program, everyone will receive a pair of certified safe eclipse-viewing glasses, courtesy of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. Copies of Professor Fraknoi’s children’s book on eclipses, When the Sun Goes Dark (2017, NSTA Kids) will be available for sale and signing after the talk.

On Monday, August 21, 2017, there will be an eclipse of the Sun visible throughout the U.S. and all of North America. People in a narrow path from Oregon to South Carolina will see a spectacular total eclipse, with the Moon briefly covering the Sun, and day turning into night. Everyone else (an estimated 500 million people, including all of us in the Bay Area) will see a partial eclipse, where the Moon covers a good part of the Sun. Special glasses or viewing techniques are needed to look at the Sun safely during a partial eclipse (sunglasses are NOT enough).

Speaker: Andrew Fraknoi, is the former chair of the astronomy department at Foothill College and the co-author of a new illustrated children’s book about eclipses.

• A special event at the Joyce Ellington Branch Library in San Jose on Saturday, Aug 5, 2017 at 2pm. Come learn about the upcoming Solar Eclipse on Monday Morning, Aug 21, 2017. What is a Solar Eclipse? What to expect? How to watch safely? Eclipse photos from previous solar eclipses. Why go to Oregon?

Plus Join SJAA Solar Astronomers in looking at our nearest star, the Sun. (SAFELY! Using specific, densely filtered solar telescopes), out in front of the Library.

Come view the Sun safely and see Sunspots and Solar Flares, Prominences and occasionally Coronal Mass Ejections. Learn about our Magnetic Sun and how viewing in different wavelengths allows us to see truly spectacular solar sights with our own eyes.

• We will be in the 1st building, closest to the parking lot and tennis courts.
• Come join us for our monthly Astronomy talk!

7:30pm to 8pm: Social time, come and mingle. We will have snacks and beverages.

Talk begins at 8pm.

Topic: Good Science with Modest Instruments

Speaker: R. Jay GaBany

Description: An ongoing collaboration between the speaker and an international team of professional astronomers has demonstrated the scientific potential of using modest aperture, commercially produced, semi-robotic telescopes situated under steady dark skies and affordable off-the-shelf astronomical cameras to reveal extremely dim, diffuse structures on the outskirts of distant galaxies that shed light on galactic evolution. This presentation will share techniques, experiences and highlights of the investigations thus far.

Speaker Bio:

By profession, R. Jay GaBany is an eCommerce product manager working in California’s Silicon Valley and the recipient of five patents for innovations in his field. Over the last decade he has earned a reputation as an amateur astronomer and astrophotographer whose work has been recognized internationally. He is also known for his work with an international team of astrophysicists led by Dr. David Martínez-Delgado (University of Heidelberg). GaBany helped pioneer the use of modest size telescopes and off the shelf CCD-cameras to produce long exposure images that revealed ancient galactic merger remnants in the form of star streams surrounding nearby galaxies that were previously undetected or suspected.

GaBany has coauthored over 14 peer-reviewed scientific papers on the subject. For his contributions at the professional level he was given the 2010 Chambliss Award by the American Astronomical Society.

Among his many other accomplishments GaBany’s image of NGC 3521 was selected as the backdrop for the official crew portrait of Expedition 30 to the International Space Station. In 2012 and again in 2013, he was selected by the editors of Time magazine as one of “The 25 Most Influential People in Space.”

Jay has also written numerous articles, blogs, and reviews for a variety of popular astronomy magazines such as Sky & Telescope, Universe Today, and Astronomy Now. His first book,

Breakthrough! 100 Astronomical Images that Changed the World was published in November 2015. Co-authored with noted astrophotographer Dr. Robert Gendler, the book explores the history of astrophotography through the lens of 100 ground breaking images that altered humanity’s perception of its place in the universe.

NEW THIS YEAR – FAMILIES with CHILDREN 12 and UNDER GET EARLY ADMISSION at 9:30am. AND… you get to attend a special book reading at 10am by Astronaut Jerry Ross in the museum Moon Room. How cool is that?!!

Website: http://www.thespacestationca.org/NovatoSpaceFestival.shtml

Cost: Free

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Sunday, 08/06/17 1:00 PM

San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin St
San Francisco, CA 94102

The Sky Event of the Decade: August’s Eclipse of the Sun
San Francisco Public Library is pleased to bring astronomer Andrew Fraknoi to the Main Library for a talk titled “August’s ‘All-American’ Eclipse of the Sun and How to View it Safely.”

On Aug. 21, there will be an eclipse of the Sun visible throughout North America. People in a narrow path from Oregon to South Carolina will see a spectacular total eclipse, with the Moon briefly covering the Sun, and day turning into night. Everyone else, including those in the Bay Area, will see a partial eclipse, where the Moon covers a good part of the Sun.

Everyone attending the event will receive a free pair of safe viewing glasses for observing the sun. Copies of Professor Fraknoi’s new children’s book on eclipses, When the Sun Goes Dark, will be available for sale and signing after the talk. Like the book, the discussion will be appropriate for children 10 years of age or older, and adults.

This century will permit us the first opportunities to study biology beyond Earth; biology as we don’t yet know it, and biology that we have exported off the surface of our planet. The technologies needed for discovering biology beyond Earth are different, depending on whether you are searching for microbes or mathematicians, and depending on whether you are searching in-situ or remotely. In many cases the necessary technologies do not yet exist, but they will probably develop more rapidly – and in more ways – than anyone of us can now imagine.

Evenings with the Stars: Andreas Burkert – SOLD OUT
Our ‘Evenings with the Stars’ programs are held annually as part of our Summer Series. Each year we bring world-renowned astronomers to the summit of Mount Hamilton for a night with the “stars” you won’t forget!

• Near the tennis courts
• Come view the heavens through a telescope at the SJAA’s In Town Star Party. Bring a scope to share the views, and if you do, feel free to come early to set up. Remember, this event is free, everyone is invited, no reservations required. Just show up!

Chabot’s TMW is one of only a handful of regularly scheduled telescope making workshops in the U.S., and probably the world; it meets every Friday evening throughout the year, except Memorial Day weekend. It has been in operation since December of 1930, founded by Franklin B. Wright, and is currently run by Eastbay Astronomical Society member Rich Ozer, with help from other EAS members, Dave Barosso, Barry Leska, and others. The price of admission is FREE. All you have to do is show up, buy a mirror blank and a “tool” (typically around $100 – $200 depending on the size of the mirror) and start “pushin’ glass!” We supply you with instruction, the various grits you’ll need to first grind, and then polish and figure your mirror, and all the testing equipment needed. With a small bit of luck, you could wind up with a telescope that costs 1/3 or 1/4 the cost of a store-bought telescope, that is yet optically superior! Itdoes take time – depending on how much time you put in on it, and other factors, it could take a few months or several months. But, it’s a fun project, great for kids, and at the end you get a great telescope!
For more information call or email Richard Ozer at rozer@pacbell.net or phone (510) 406-1914.

EXPLORE THE NIGHT SKIES AT THE CHABOT OBSERVATORIES
for more information: http://www.chabotspace.org/
Free Telescope Viewing
Regular hours are every Friday & Saturday evening, weather permitting: 7:30pm -10:30pm
Come for spectacular night sky viewing the best kept secret in the Bay Area and see the magnificence of our telescopes in action!

Daytime Telescope Viewing On Saturday and Sunday afternoons come view the sun, moon, or Venus through Chabot’s telescopes. Free with General Admission.

12pm – 5pm: Observatories Open (weather permitting)

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Fri. 8/11/2017 9PM

Foothill College
12345 El Monte Rd
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Foothill Observatory is open for public viewing every clear Friday evening from 9:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Visitors can view the wonders of the universe through the observatory’s computer-controlled 16- inch Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope.
Views of objects in our solar system may include craters and mountains on the moon, the moons and cloud-bands of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, etc. Deep space objects including star clusters, nebulae, and distant galaxies also provide dramatic demonstrations of the vastness of the cosmos.The choice of targets for any evening’s viewing depends on the season and what objects are currently in the sky.

Admission is free. Parking is $3

Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college requires visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the parking lots for $3.00. Dispensers accept one-dollar bills and quarters; bring exact change. Citations are issued.

Come to Foothill Observatory and join us in the exploration of our Universe!

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Sat. 8/12/2017 10AM

Foothill College
12345 El Monte Rd
Los Altos Hills, CA 94022

Foothill Colllege Observatory 10AM-12PM if it is clear Solar observing with a Hydrogen alpha solar telescope every clear Saturday morning. This allows spectacular views of solar prominences and unusual surface features on the Sun not otherwise visible with regular white light telescopes.

Admission is free. Parking is $3

Foothill Observatory is located on the campus of Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, CA. Take Highway 280 to the El Monte Rd exit. The observatory is next to parking lot 4. Parking at the college requires visitor parking permits that are available from the machines in the parking lots for $3.00. Dispensers accept one-dollar bills and quarters; bring exact change. Citations are issued.

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Saturday, August 12th from 2 to 3:30 pm

Milpitas Public Library
160 N. Main St.
Milpitas, CA

Family-Oriented Talk on the Upcoming Eclipse of the Sun
At Milpitas Public Library August 12

Saturday, August 12th from 2 to 3:30 pm, astronomer Andrew Fraknoi will give a free, family-oriented, illustrated talk on the eclipse of the Sun coming on August 21st. The talk will be held in the Auditorium at the Milpitas Public Library, 160 N. Main St., Milpitas, CA 95035. Fraknoi, author of a new children’s book on eclipses, When the Sun Goes Dark, will describe how eclipses work, what makes them so interesting to so many people, exactly when and where the eclipse of 2017 will be visible, and how to observe the eclipse and the Sun safely.

At the end of the talk, attendees will receive a pair of safe eclipse-viewing glasses, courtesy of Google. Like the book, the talk will be appropriate for children ages 9 or older and adults. After the talk, there will be a book signing for When the Sun Goes Dark.

For more information and a map, see: http://sccl.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails?EventId=88408

On Monday, August 21, 2017, there will be an eclipse of the Sun visible throughout the U.S. and all of North America. People in a narrow path from Oregon to South Carolina will see a spectacular total eclipse, with the Moon briefly covering the Sun completely, and day turning into night. Everyone else (an estimated 500 million people, including all of us in the Bay Area) will see a partial eclipse, where the Moon covers a good part of the Sun. Special glasses or viewing techniques are needed to look at the Sun safely during a partial eclipse.

Andrew Fraknoi recently retired as the chair of the astronomy department at Foothill College. He serves on the 2017 Eclipse Task Force of the American Astronomical Society, and has been training teachers and librarians to act as guides for the public as the August eclipse approaches. Fraknoi appears regularly on local and national radio, explaining astronomical developments in everyday language, and was the California Professor of the Year in 2007. The International Astronomical Union has named Asteroid 4859 Asteroid Fraknoi to honor his contributions to the public understanding of science.

Fraknoi’s illustrated book, When the Sun Goes Dark, published by the National Science Teachers Association Press, is a fun way for young astronomers to find out all about this sky event and future ones. (The next one over the U.S. will be in 2024.) The story suggests some easy activities that children and adults can do together to learn the science behind eclipses of the Sun and Moon. If you can’t attend the talks, the book is available on Amazon or from the publisher at:http://www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781681400112

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Saturday, 08/12/17
12:00 AM – 03:00 AM

Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd
Oakland, CA 94619

Perseids Meteor Shower
Hang out on the hill and watch one of the best annual astronomical events unfold before your very eyes. The Perseid Meteor Shower will make its annual trip through our atmosphere and light up the night sky. Our astronomy experts will be on hand to answer your questions and help you catch a glimpse of the brightest meteors in the night’s sky.

Other Dates For This Event:
• Saturday, 08/12/17
• Sunday, 08/13/17

Website: http://www.chabotspace.org/events.htm

Cost: Free

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Saturday, 08/12/17
02:00 PM – 03:30 PM

Milpitas Library
160 N Main Street
Auditorium
Milpitas, CA 95305

The Sky Event of the Decade: August’s Eclipse of the Sun
On Aug. 21, there will be an eclipse of the Sun visible throughout North America. People in a narrow path from Oregon to South Carolina will see a spectacular total eclipse, with the Moon briefly covering the Sun, and day turning into night. Everyone else, including those in the Bay Area, will see a partial eclipse, where the Moon covers a good part of the Sun.

Everyone attending the event will receive a free pair of safe viewing glasses for observing the sun. Copies of Professor Fraknoi’s new children’s book on eclipses, When the Sun Goes Dark, will be available for sale and signing after the talk. Like the book, the discussion will be appropriate for children 10 years of age or older, and adults.

City Star Party @ Point Lobos
Come join us for our monthly San Francisco City Star Party. SFAA members provide telescopes for your viewing pleasure.
Be sure to check the SFAA website for the latest updates…bad weather or overcast skies will cancel!

PERSEIDS METEOR SHOWER
The program starts at 7:30 (enter the park at least 45 minutes earlier) at the lower summit parking lot. Although there is no fee for this program there is a $10 park entrance fee.

Meteor showers, comets and asteroids: how are they different, how are they related? Count meteors until the 11 pm moonrise!

See stars, nebula, galaxies, clusters, the moon and planets through member telescopes. Bring kids, binoculars, warm clothes (temperature can drop), snacks, water. No need for a flashlight but if you must bring one cover it in red plastic. Escorted exit several times during the evening through Northgate entrance. Astronomy program is weather dependent including high fire danger. Check our web site www.mdas.net, 925-979-5694 or call the park 925-837-2525 or email outreachinfo@mdas.net

Website: https://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/event-view.cfm?Event_ID=79991

Cost: Free

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Saturday, 08/12/17
08:00 PM – 12:00 PM

Lick Observatory
7299 Mt. Hamilton Rd
Mt. Hamilton, CA 95140

Music of the Spheres: Katherine deKleer – SOLD OUT
Katherine de Kleer’s research focuses on dynamic processes in the planets and moons of the outer Solar System, which she studies using world-class telescopes at optical, infrared, and radio wavelengths. Her work covers topics including the atmospheres of Uranus, Neptune, and Jupiter, and the surfaces of Jupiter’s four Galilean satellites, with a particular emphasis on the extreme volcanic activity of Io. Through studying these objects, she investigates the complex interactions between planetary (and satellite) interiors, surface environments, and atmospheres, and what they reveal about the formation and history of such worlds.Speaker: Katherine de Kleer, UC Berkeley

Music: Charged Particles

Tickets on sale April 12th at noon.

Website: https://www.ucolick.org/summer/music/august12.html

Cost: $45-$210

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Sunday, 08/13/17
12:00 AM – 03:00 AM

Chabot Space and Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd
Oakland, CA 94619

Perseids Meteor Shower
Hang out on the hill and watch one of the best annual astronomical events unfold before your very eyes. The Perseid Meteor Shower will make its annual trip through our atmosphere and light up the night sky. Our astronomy experts will be on hand to answer your questions and help you catch a glimpse of the brightest meteors in the night’s sky.

April – October only. The SFAA again joins the Mt Tam Interpretive Society at the annual ‘Summer Astronomy Program’ hosting public viewing events from April through October. SFAA members bring their telescopes, big and small, Continue Reading

The SFAA has organized a private tour of the world renowned Lick Observatory. The tour will begin in the early evening (exact time to follow) and will last 4-6 hours. We get to look forward Continue Reading

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Members receive our monthly Newsletter 'Above the Fog' by email or snail mail. Each edition tells you about the latest events in the astronomy and science communities in our Bay Area. We also highlight public outreach the club undertakes and invite all members to get involved!